Dallas College offers three paths in Criminal Justice:

• Criminal Justice CTE Program – Earn certificates and degrees designed to prepare you for a career in law enforcement.
• Criminal Justice for Transfer Program – Complete core courses in Criminal Justice that seamlessly transfer to a four-year university.
• Law Enforcement Academy – Choose from specialized training options to begin or advance your career in law enforcement.

Dallas College is the one-stop shop for individuals interested in learning new appr​oaches to better serving the community through public safety vocations. Graduates take certification examinations at the close and secure required licenses, enabling entrance into the various public safety vocations. The Texas Basic Correction Officer Course, the state's Basic Emergency Telecommunicator Course and Certification programs in Private Security, Levels II, III and IV will be offered in Fall 2025.

Basic Police Recruit Training

Dallas College is licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to offer the Texas Basic Police Recruit Training Course. The course prepares women and men for service as police recruits in the State of Texas. After completing the police academy, graduates are permitted to take the State’s licensing exam. Cadets who score above a 70 on the State exam then become licensed peace officers and are eligible for employment in the State’s 2,700 police agencies.

Cost

In addition to tuition, there is approximately $600 in extra costs for uniforms, ammunition and other fees. There are also pre-admissions expenses students need to absorb. The state requires a pre-admittance Medical Evaluation ($135) and Psychological Evaluation ($150); there’s an additional criminal history check that’s required, done through a Fingerprint ($40).

Course Schedule

Note: Basic Police Officer courses are listed on the CE Schedule. Please search classes for CJLE. There are full-time and part-time classes available. Full-time classes generally run for 21 weeks, Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., with some weekends. Part-time evening classes run for 42 weeks, Mondays through Fridays, 6:30-10:30 p.m., with occasional weekend classes. Part-time morning classes run for 42 weeks, Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m.-noon, with occasional weekend classes.

Qualifications for Entrance

The Texas Occupations Code sets legal minimum qualifications for peace officers in the state of Texas. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement is the regulatory agency charged with maintaining and regulating the standards set in the Occupations Code. Per the above, qualifications to be a peace officer in Texas are:

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must be 21 years old (or 18 years old with 60 college hours).
• Must be a high school graduate or have a GED.
• Must pass a state criminal history and fingerprint check.
• Must not be currently charged with a crime.
• Veterans of U.S. military services must not have a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge.
• Must not be restricted from owning or possessing a weapon or ammunition.
• Must have a valid Texas driver's license (out-of-state applicants must comply with Texas law.)
• Must clear a background investigation (review of personal history statement).
• Must pass a fingerprint check.
• Must pass a physical and drug screen examination.
• Must pass a psychological examination (includes personal history statement).

Required Documents

The Law Enforcement Academy will need the following documents. In some cases, the original or certified copy must be presented.

• Birth certificate or naturalization certificate (For U.S. citizenship, an original or certified copy must be presented; a copy will be made by the academy staff.)
• Valid Texas driver's license (Applicants with an out-of-state driver's license must be prepared to comply with Texas law regarding obtaining a valid Texas driver's license.)
• Driver's History Statement (Applicants will follow directions given by the academy to obtain the correct form.)
• High school diploma or GED (Academy staff will copy the original or certified copy.)
• DD Form 214 (for military veterans only).
• Personal History Statement (Forms will be provided. You will need it filled out before the academy schedules an appointment for your initial interview, as this statement must be completed and presented at your interview.)

Additional Requirements

In addition to meeting the qualification standards established by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, every person applying to the Dallas College Law Enforcement Academy must comply with these additional requirements.

1. Pass a TSI exam.
   • The TSI exam assesses reading comprehension, essay and sentence skills at the college freshman level. It is required because Law Enforcement Academy cadets must read Texas law and be able to fulfill the writing needs of crime and arrest reporting.
     • If you have already taken the exam or a comparable exam, you will not be required to retake it (academy staff will determine this with you in your initial interview.) Military veterans with two or more years of active duty experience are exempt from the TSI exam requirement.
     • Applicants can obtain a waiver to take the first exam attempt for free. Second or third attempts are at the cost of the applicant. If you have not passed one or both portions of the exam by the third attempt, you will be required to take remedial courses prior to attending the academy.
2. Have a bacterial meningitis vaccination. This requirement will be reviewed with you during the initial interview. Exceptions are only made if:
   • You have received the bacterial meningitis vaccination within the last five years.
   • You are 22 years old or older.

Questions? Contact us at 4Justice@DallasCollege.edu, or call  972-391-1084.

How to Apply

The journey of a lifetime begins with the first step. We realize there are a few steps here and it can be a bit confusing. The academy’s staff is here to assist you with every step in the process, or with any questions you may have before taking those steps. Noted below is a general outline and description of the step-by-step procedure for enrolling.

1. Email the academy at 4Justice@DallasCollege.edu or call the academy at 972-391-1084 to schedule an interview and receive the paperwork via email. Paperwork will be sent to you.
2. Complete the Personal History Statement you’ll have received.
3. Expect to hear from the academy about an applicant interview.
   • Applicant must bring their completed personal history statement to the interview.
   • Applicant is interviewed by an academy staff member, reviewing their qualifications, academy requirements and exceptions/exemptions, if applicable.
4. Applicants will be directed to obtain a student ID Number (if they do not already have one).
5. Applicants will be directed to take and complete the reading and writing portions of the TSI (if they haven't yet done so), however:
   • Official transcripts from an accredited college or university showing valid TSI scores, or showing a college-level English course with a "C" grade or above suffice for an exemption.
   • A transcript showing an Associates, Bachelor's, Masters', etc. from an accredited college or university is also an exemption.
6. Applicants must meet the Meningitis Vaccine requirement for the college (if applicable).
7. Applicants must satisfy preliminary qualifications — and complete the checklist provided via email when they scheduled their appointment, which includes:
   • Proof of education (high school diploma, GED or higher).
   • A DD-214 with at least 24 months of (full-time) active-duty service AND an Honorable discharge is also accepted.
     • DD-214 (if applicable) — cannot have been a Dishonorable Discharge.
   • Valid Texas driver's license (applicants with an out-of-state license must obtain a Texas driver's license to enter into a Texas-based Law Enforcement Academy.)
   • DPS driver history statement (applicant must follow instruction on their che​cklist.)
   • Proof of citizenship (must be two forms, which include birth certificate, Social Security card or passport –or– naturalization papers)
   • "FAST" form fingerprint/criminal history and TCOLE qualification statement (applicant must follow directions provided during their interview.)
   • Physical Exam, which also includes a 5-panel (or higher) drug screen. Both the L-2 and the drug screen results must be presented to meet this criteria (applicant must follow directions provided during their interview.)
   • Psychological Exam (applicant must follow directions provided during their interview).
8. Registration must be done through the academy. Registration is not available online or through the college registrar's office, as those two methods do not prove the applicant has met all the state requirements for registration in a law enforcement academy.

Law Enforcement Academy Interest Form